by The Editors on December 11, 2008
Turns out it was kids who stole more than $10,000 worth of snowboarding equipment from Podium in Manchester, Vermont. And the police have now recovered 95 percent of the product.
Names of the suspects are not being released because they are juveniles under the age of 18, according to the Manchester Police Department, which handled the case. . . . A rough estimate by the police indicates the value of all the items stolen, which include snowboards, boots, bindings, clothing and helmets, will eventually total more than $10,000, police said.
See kids, crime doesn’t pay some of the time.
[Link: The Manchester Journal]
by The Editors on December 11, 2008
For old shreds who used to go through 15 rolls of duct tape a season trying to get a little heel hold in their old Sorel Caribous this news will bring a chuckle. Sorel, a brand now owned by the giant Columbia Sportswear Company has just signed a sponsorship deal to be the “official boot sponsor” of the U.S. Snowboarding team.
Sorel will outfit athletes, event staff, volunteers, on-air talent and VIPs with Sorel footwear, including the original Caribou boot, which was introduced in 1972 and has become one of the leading winter boots of alltime. . . . “USSA is excited to be partnering with Sorel around U.S. Snowboarding and several of our competitions,” said Ted Morris, U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association vice president, sales and marketing. “Our athletes, staff andspecial guests will have warm, dry feet no matter what the weather is like at our events in the mountains where winter can bring varying elements. It’s a privilege to be working with a brand like Sorel.”
The company’s failure to capitalize on snowboarding in the late 80s is still one of the greatest marketing fumbles in action sports’ history. Welcome back, Sorel.
[Link: International Business Times]
by The Editors on December 11, 2008
The nations newspaper gets the details on how snowboarder Louie Vito added two feet of sprokage to his halfpipe runs.
Louie just needs 2 more feet.” It wasn’t a comment on how much bigger he needed to grow (now 20, he stands 5-5). It was an assessment of how much bigger he needed to go — off the lip of a snowboard halfpipe. . . The Ohio native had all the flips, turns and style to be one of the best at negotiating the slick troughs that serve as snowboarders’ playing fields. He just needed more height on his tricks — amplitude, in snowboarder-speak — to win the judges’ highest marks.
And now it looks like he’s done it. The secret: “a no-holding-back start for optimum speed.” Ah, yes. Speed.
[Link: USA Today]
by The Editors on December 11, 2008
by The Editors on December 11, 2008
Skatepark of Tampa’s Boards for Bro program is getting bigger every year. This December 20, 2008 they will be distributing 300 skateboards to Tampa, Florida’s low-income children, according to a story in on TampaBay.com.
Boards for Bros has provided skateboards to low-income children since 2006. Organizers get plenty of board donations. But the charity falls short on the amount of trucks, wheels and other hardware needed to make a skateboard complete. Ready-to-roll skateboards can cost up to $150.
But that’s where Chad Cardoza’s 99 Bottle of Beer On The Wall art show came it. He raised $2,000 to complete the skateboards. Nice work.
[Link: TampaBay.com]
by The Editors on December 11, 2008
Yesterday, during his third-round Billabong Pipeline Masters heat against 2008 Triple Crown points leader Dusty Payne, Joel Parkinson scored two perfect 10 wave scores and joins Kelly Slater as the only surfers ever to surf a perfect heat. And we missed it!
I never thought I would get two perfect 10s, it’s not something you hear about every day,” the world No.4 said. “I have to start thinking more about the Triple Crown now. I have to forget about those 10s.”
So when is the ASP going to have to take make the points scale go to 11?
[Link: Sydney Morning Herald]
by The Editors on December 11, 2008
Eric Bush, the 14-year-old Baltimore skater who became web famous when a Youtube video of him being harassed by police officer Salvatore Rivieri showed the rest of the world what many skateboarders put up with on a daily basis, has be given the right to sue the officer.
A Baltimore judge ruled Eric Bush can continue with his case, even though he was late notifying the city of his intent to sue.
The judge denied a motion to dismiss the case, saying Bush had shown good cause for missing the deadline.
Officer Salvatore Rivieri was removed from street duty shortly after the incident made headlines and, thankfully, has yet to return.
[Link: WBAL TV]
by The Editors on December 11, 2008
Jared Smith, a 19-year-old surfer from Australia thought it might be nice to have a quiver without having a quiver. So he designed a surfboard which snap-out switchable tails.
Using a 20-cent coin, the surfer can unscrew the joint at about a third of the board’s length and connect a different tail to suit the break. . . . Mr Smith’s board earned the Best Potential for Commercialisation award at an exhibition of HSC Design and Technology projects for 2007.
While the Chinese company Headside Surf Gears has “expressed interest” in making the boards for Smith, he would much rather license the technology to a company like Billabong or Rip Curl and “get paid royalties.” Sadly, we’re going to bet that never happens.
[Link: Sydney Morning Herald]
by The Editors on December 11, 2008
This Sunday night (December 13, 2008) Big Mountain Jeremy Jones will be the first snowboarder to be presented with the Golden Camalot Award at the Tahoe Adventure Film Festival held at the Mont Bleu in South Lake Tahoe.
This year’s film selection includes skiing, BASE-jumping, free BASE soloing, unicycling, rock climbing, snowboarding, surfing and a few surprise sports.
Apparently unicycling just isn’t enough of a surprise. The evening starts with an adventure photography show (including “Red Hot” go-go dancers) and then continues with 10 minute selections from some of the year’s best adventure films. Tickets are on sale at Ticketmaster.
[Link: Tahoe Adventure Film Festival via Tahoe Daily]
by The Editors on December 10, 2008
Danny Way checks in with The Wall Street Journal writer Conor Dougherty to discuss the state of x sports, the mega ramp, and his Brazil back breaking, and as usual comes off as the talented tough guy that he is.
If you’re not ready to be able to face the repercussions of what you’re doing, then I really feel like you shouldn’t be doing it. You’ve got to be geared up for the worst-case scenario and be able to accept that before you get up there and before it happens. You don’t go up with a negative mind set, but by no means do you underestimate what the hazard is.
Spoken like a true bad-ass.
[Link: The Wall Street Journal]
